Baseball Bat Assault on Special Olympian Draws $100,000 Bail

An unprovoked attack with a baseball bat on a renowned Missoula Special Olympics athlete has drawn a $100,000 bail for the suspect, 27 year-old Paul Ekstedt.

At his Missoula Justice Court appearance on Tuesday, Deputy Missoula County Attorney Jordan Kilby said she asked for the high bail amount because Ekstedt was a danger to the community.

“Mr. Ekstedt is accused of taking a baseball bat and without provocation, hitting Gary Fuller in the back of the head with it,” said Kilby. “Gary is still hospitalized. There is no evidence of any provocation, Judge, and I believe that Mr. Ekstedt is a danger to the community.”

“He was convicted of criminal endangerment after the state amended the aggravated assault two and received a Department of Corrections sentence which he discharged under a year ago,” she said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for a low bail in this case, and the conditions I would ask for include no contact with the victim or his family, or any witnesses.”

Judge Andersen sat bail at $100,000, and ordered Ekstedt to appear again in Justice Court on July 3.

At last report, the victim, Gary Fuller, was in a local hospital on a ventilator.